Thursday, January 1, 2009

An Introduction to Freelance Copywriting

By Ray Edwards

More and more copywriters are looking into freelance copywriting because of the freedom it offers. If you're interested in freelance copywriting, then here are some ideas to help you see what's involved in freelancing.

1. Know when to say "no." As a freelance copywriter you have to learn when to say no. Sometimes you have to say no to projects because you're schedule is overloaded or sometimes you also have to say no to poor suggestions made by your clients. In this situation you need to remember that you are the advertising expert, not your client. They are hiring you to sell their product, so you have to learn when to say "no" gently enough not to make your client angry.

Sometimes though, clients won't budge and either you have to compromise without surrendering or get out of the project. Managing persistent clients will help ease your work experience, but sometimes you just have to get out of a situation. Otherwise your job will be very unpleasant. Some clients just aren't worth the time or trouble.

2. You should also be polite, persistent, and positive. You need to always communicate with your clients professionally and listen to their desires intently. You must persistently stand by your ideas on how to sell your clients' products, and you must also look for work vigilantly.

3. Educate yourself. There are always new things to learn and the most successful copywriters see themselves as lifelong students. Learning new ways of writing copy will help your business stay competitive. There is plenty of material out there, so go ahead and start learning.

4. Make sure to relax. It doesn't make much sense to go from one stressful job to another. Therefore take time to relax. Rest is so important that you should even write it into your schedule to make sure you do it. This will not only help you be happier, but it will also help you write better copy. In the end, if you take time to relax, you'll be happier and more successful.

5. Learn to keep a positive attitude. In order to be successful, you have to love your job, even in the hard times. If you let the stress of your work consume you, then you will come to hate your job and miss out on all the great opportunities that freelancing has to offer. So learn to keep a positive attitude now.

6. Actively nurture your personal life. Your life should be well rounded. You need to take care of your personal health and spend time with your friends and family. Even though you're working to become more successful, what will it profit you to gain the whole world but spend your life alone? Your work is an important part of your life, but not the most important.

7. Always practice honest work ethics. You need to be a person of love, honor and integrity. Therefore, don't make any promises you can't keep. Be honest with your clients. Tell them if you're failing to meet a requirement and try to make it up to them. Never give moral ground in order to gain economic prosperity, and always be ethical when conducting business arrangements.

8. Learn to manage your business. Freelance copywriters run every aspect of their business and need to know how to do it well if they are going to be successful. Read up on how to effectively run a small business and know the laws that can protect you.

You should always be aware of the most recent ethical standards, laws, and tax reforms. You should also update yourself with the current pricing guidelines, learning new effective negotiation skills, and looking for better ways to maintain your records.

9. Don't take rejection personally. Your value as a person does not reside in what you do or how much money you make. Remember this when clients reject your bids. Keep a professional composure and know that there are plenty of reasons outside of your ability to write copy that someone would reject your bid.

10. Never miss a deadline. As a freelance copywriter you cannot afford to miss deadlines. Failing to miss deadlines will severely hurt the success of your business, so make sure to manage your time well.

Hopefully this article helped you see what's involved in freelance copywriting. There is plenty of information out there on freelancing, so if it interests you, go ahead and do some more research about this exciting career.

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